Sam the Local

Sam the Local

Our Local, Kevin L., shares about his favorite place to go in Hong Kong and one of his favorite activities.

He studied Geography in university and obtained certifications in ecotourism and geotourism. When asked about his favorite place, it’s not surprising that he chose a place related to the geography of Hong Kong and its relevance to Chinese culture.

What is your favorite activity when you have time off?

When you hear of seeing rocks, what would you think of? It’s just boring stuff and too common and ordinary, right? After my first time visiting Po Toi Island, it completely changed my view on rocks.

Po Toi Island can easily be reached by taking the ferry in Stanley / Aberdeen (only available on Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun – visit the Hong Kong Transport Dept website for exact schedule). The route is suitable for families and leisure hikers. Along the way, you can see so many interesting rocks and they are named relative to traditional Chinese culture, such as Monk Rock and Spiritual Tortoise Rock and Buddha’s Palm Rock.

When I bring friends there, I always encourage them to unleash their creativity to name some rocks. Someone named one Bride/Palm-with-Ring Rock, someone else named another Moomintroll (a cartoon charter) Rock and I named the one opposite to the Spiritual Tortoise Rock/ next to Monk Rock as Giant Whale Rock.

I can’t stop myself from visiting again and again as I keep exploring new and interesting rocks there. If you have the chance to go there, why not name your own rock and share with your friends?

If you were away from Hong Kong for 10 years and returned for 2 hours, what would you do?

I have lived in the Sai Wan (western part of HK Island) for 20+ years and my parents always brought me to take trams when I was younger. I really hated it as it’s crowded and often takes a long time travelling, especially when trams and other transportation were in competition for the same road; ultimately, trams were always the loser.

Yet, when I did my Honour Project in the final year of my undergraduate programme, my essay discussed the transport development in the district, and I get hooked on taking the trams.

True, it’s slow. But this reminded me to relax from the busy life and see the changing scenery outside the window. And it only costs HK$2.3 and you can embrace the urban landscape from the western to the eastern part of HK Island. The tram is like a counsellor – giving me the time and space to reflect and relax.

If someday I were away from HK for 10 years and returned for just 2 hours, I would definitely take a ride on the tram to witness the city that I love again. (If you are lucky enough, you can get into one of the earliest model #120, the design and materials used in the tram are a lot different from other existing models.)

Kevin, tell me more about geology!

Sam the Local connects you to people so that you have access to word-of-mouth knowledge that can’t be found through forums or Top 10 lists. Our Locals build an itinerary based on your interests and then take you to see the things based on the itinerary. Pick a Local to book for your Outing, and please reach out if you have any questions.